Chapter 1: The Miserable Transmigration

  As soon as autumn arrived, the sky began to darken early. The night watchman's rattle had just sounded when the sky was already completely dark.

  The ancients struck one watch at 7 pm, two watches at 9 pm, three watches at 11 pm and so on, for a total of five watches.

  At one more day's notice, the Huafang Building was basically fully booked, and only a few rooms were left unopened, which had been reserved long ago.

  A man wearing a wide-sleeved, loose-fitting purple robe and another man wearing a tight-fitting purple shirt walked into the Fragrant Pavilion. From their words and deeds, it was clear that the status of the robed man was much higher than that of the shirted man. This could also be discerned from their appearance and temperament.

  The man in the long gown looked about twenty years old, with a handsome face and a straight figure. The mustache above his lips was deliberately left to show that he already had a few mature masculine charms.

  When walking, he is steady and calm, with a majestic aura that is hard to describe. But the pale skin and the faint smile at the corner of his mouth, as well as the gentle lines on his face, make people feel that he is full of talent and must be a man who has read extensively in poetry and books.

  The short-shirted man was different, his figure relatively shorter than the long-gowned man. When walking, his shoulders and back were habitually curved as if he couldn't stand up straight. His face was pale and beardless, every step he took, he would habitually turn his head to glance at the long-gowned man, then smile fawningly. Just one look and you could tell that this person was a sycophant.

  These two people entered the Fangong Pavilion and did not pass through the hall, but went straight up to the second floor from the corridor staircase, and actually went all the way to the fourth floor.

  Jiang Xia still remembered that Mrs. Kang had asked him to go to her room to receive a reward, so after helping Zhao Youguo finish writing the letter, he went straight to the fourth floor to find Mrs. Kang. As he walked quickly along the way, Jiang Xia accidentally bumped into someone. All he heard was an "ouch" and then someone scolded: "You damned rabbit, don't you have eyes?"

  Jiang Xia took a glance at the person he had bumped into, a middle-aged man wearing a purple long gown. Not just anyone could wear such attire; after all, Ming dynasty clothing was particular about its colors, with purple being a noble color that ordinary people were not allowed to wear.

  Although Jiang Xia was scolded, he didn't mind, after all, it was his own fault. He clasped his fists and bowed: "Sorry to the two gentlemen, I was in a hurry and bumped into you both. Looking at your demeanor, you must be noble and unspeakable people. Bumping into the gentleman is like being infected with the gentleman's noble aura, truly a fortunate encounter in three lifetimes."

  "Hah, you little brat are quite eloquent." The man in the narrow shirt said with a smile.

  Jiang Xia glanced at the man in the narrow shirt and immediately recognized him as the one who had scolded him earlier. Jiang Xia's eyes rolled over and he said, "Thank you, sir, for your praise. In fact, I've been taught by a superior person since childhood to observe people's facial features."

  I see that your facial features are full and round, with a square forehead, which suggests that you should be serving under a noble and unspeakable person. Moreover, the expression in your eyebrows and eyes reveals firm determination, indicating that you are a loyal and righteous person.

  "If I'm guessing correctly, your master must be extremely loyal to the old gentleman, and the old gentleman's master also holds him in high esteem. Am I right or not?"

  "Wow, awesome!" The narrow-shirted man couldn't help but applaud, every word Jiang Xia said hit his heartstrings, especially with the long-gowned man by his side. Jiang Xia said he must be very loyal to his master, so he was deeply favored by his master. This made the narrow-shirted man want to give Jiang Xia 320 likes and then hug him for a passionate kiss for three days and nights.

  "What the little brother said is absolutely right, it's really spot on."

  Jiang Xia smiled and thought to himself that it seemed like he had been tricked. Actually, what he just said wasn't difficult to see through at all.

  Jiang Xia bumped into a man in a long gown, but it was the narrow-shirted man who spoke up to scold him. This proved that the narrow-shirted man was an attendant of the man in the long gown. The narrow-shirted man's stout and fat appearance must be following a wealthy old master. Looking at his family's old master wearing purple clothes and brocade, he must be a rich young master, so Jiang Xia said a sentence: "Wealth is beyond words."

  Finally, the narrow-minded man is loyal, even if it's fake, he won't admit it. It's even simpler to be favored by his master. Can those who are not favored come together to stroll around the brothel?

  However, Jiang Xia wouldn't come to pretend to be a Feng Shui master to tease the young man for no reason. Immediately afterwards, he said with an arrogant face: "What I say will naturally not have any difference, I am instructed by a superior person, and I can not only see through the past and future, but even if you think about it now, old master, I can guess it."

  "What I'm thinking now, can you guess?" The narrow-shirted man was stunned for a moment and shook his head: "Little brother, isn't this bragging too much? People's hearts are separated by their bellies, how can you guess what I'm thinking in my heart?"

  Alright, you're on! Jiang Xia smiled faintly and pulled out the ten taels of silver notes from his bosom, waving them around as he said, "Since sir doesn't believe me, then let's make a bet, shall we?"

  "Make a bet? What kind of bet?" The man in the narrow shirt asked with a slight frown.

  "Sir, you can pose a question to test me. If I guess correctly, you will owe me ten taels of silver; if I fail, I'll owe you ten taels instead. How about that?"

  "This is what you're betting on, so don't blame me later." The man in the narrow shirt thought for a moment and said: "Alright, I won't ask you anything too difficult. Tell me, how old am I this year?"

  "Hah, old master is indeed clever. This question seems easy but is actually difficult. After all, for other things, I can still use a single phrase to bluff my way through, but age is a real number that cannot be bluffed. However, I am willing to give it a try. Please allow me to ask, what is your zodiac sign?"

  It's normal for fortune tellers to ask about one's zodiac sign, and the man in the narrow shirt casually said, "You're a dog."

  Jiang Xia counted on her fingers, the twelve zodiac animals each corresponding to a year of birth. Looking at the narrow-shirted man, his age was about thirty years old. As soon as he knew he was born in the year of the dog, there was only one year of birth for people around thirty years old who were born in the year of the dog. Jiang Xia smiled and said: "It turns out that Master is already thirty-two years old, but indeed still looks young."

  "Wow, you're really amazing." The narrow-shirted man didn't think of being dishonest either. While taking out a treasure note from his bosom, he praised: "Young man, you're really amazing, and you actually guessed it in one go."

  The man in the long gown, who had been silent until now, smiled and patted the head of the man in the narrow shirt, saying: "You're so silly, you've already told him your zodiac animal, how could he not guess your age?"

  Upon hearing the man in the long gown say this, the man in the narrow shirt suddenly had an epiphany. He looked at Jiang Xia and said, "Oh, you're trying to trick me." The man in the narrow shirt withdrew the treasure note that he had originally handed over, smiled and said, "Alright, let's gamble again. You said you could guess what people are thinking, so now guess whether I'll give you the money or not. If you guess correctly, I'll give you double."

  "If I don't guess it, then I won't give you any. How about that? Are you daring to bet? If you're not, then it proves you were cheating me just now, and the previous bet is cancelled. I still won't give you the silver."

  "You're really cunning, making me guess like this. Even if I guess what's on your mind, you won't admit it, so either way, I lose."

  "Alright then, does that mean you're not going to guess anymore?"

  The man in the narrow shirt was about to put away the treasure in his hand when Jiang Xia suddenly called out, "Wait, I'd like to try it."

  "Oh? That's interesting, then you go ahead and guess." The narrow-shirted man said with a smile. Meanwhile, the long-gowned young master also became interested and looked at Jiang Xia with great interest, waiting to see how he would respond.

  Jiang Xia thought for a moment and smiled slightly: "Sir, you won't give me money."

  "Haha, this time you really guessed it......" The narrow-shirted man suddenly froze.

  The young master in the long gown tilted his head and thought for a moment, then suddenly burst out laughing loudly. He laughed while clapping his hands and said: "Wonderful, wonderful, it's really wonderful!"

  Now if Zhang Yong really doesn't give you the money, then your guess is correct, and according to the agreement, Zhang Yong has to give you the money. But if Zhang Yong says you guessed wrong, then he still has to give you the money, and you can still get the money. Either way, Zhang Yong has to give you the money, it's really wonderful.

  "It's not easy to come out once and it's actually so good. Zhang Yong, as a person, you must be trustworthy, give me the money!"

  "Yes!" The man in the narrow shirt took out twenty taels of silver bills from his bosom and handed them to Jiang Xia. Jiang Xia accepted the money without hesitation, then smiled and bowed to the two men, saying: "What I did just now was just a small trick, please don't mind it, gentlemen. If you're angry, I won't take this silver, and I'll return it to you."

  Typical, having gotten a good deal and still showing off, Jiang Xia said as much and the narrow-shirted man could only wave his hand: "Give it to you then, consider it a gift from Master. What status do we have, why would we bother arguing with a lowly servant like you?"

  "It's just that, sir, your face bears a hint of nobility, and you will surely become a great and wealthy person in the future. This small amount of money is indeed not worth worrying about for someone like you. I bid farewell to you two gentlemen." Jiang Xia smiled and put away the twenty taels of silver bills, then bowed to the two men before turning around and leaving.

  Jiang Xia's footsteps were slow and steady, but before long, he had vanished around the corner. At this moment, the young master in the long gown was still muttering to himself, "Who would have thought that there was such a wonderful person inside this group of beauties? Alas, what a pity! Why didn't I ask his name just now?"

  "Your Majesty, those were just petty tricks of the common people, why bother to take it to heart. Poems girl has been waiting for a long time, Your Majesty should go see her first."

  "Zhang Yong, don't underestimate those petty commoners' cunning and slyness. I think this child may not be a mediocre person in the future." After finishing speaking, the young master in the long gown turned around and said: "Forget it, let's go see Shi Shi first. It's been a few days since we last met, I wonder if Shi Shi has come up with new tunes."

  After finishing speaking, the young master in a long gown walked towards Shi Xin Ju on the fourth floor.

  It is obvious that from the conversation between the two people just now, it can be inferred that Jiang Xia had just met the current emperor Zhu Houzhao and Zhang Yong, one of the eight great eunuchs.

  The two top courtesans of the Qunfang Pavilion were Li Shi and Cui Nian, Zhu Houzhao had once gone on a secret outing to this Qunfang Pavilion with Liu Jin, Zhang Yong and Ma Yongcheng.

  On that day, Zhu Houzhao met Li Shi Shi and couldn't forget her after a night of intimacy. Previously, Liu Jin had arranged for Zhu Houzhao to meet Li Shi Shi several times, then Ma Yongcheng also arranged several meetings, and finally Zhang Yong simply paid silver to have Li Shi Shi wrapped up. He also instructed that in daily life, except for Zhu Houzhao, no other guests should be received, and as long as Zhu Houzhao came, he must be treated with courtesy.

  Jiang Xia obviously still didn't know what kind of people he had just met, and with a suppressed excitement, he knocked on Mrs. Kang's door. A soft and charming voice came from inside: "Is that Jiang Xia? The door isn't locked, come in."

  Jiang Xia stood at the door, stunned for a moment. He muttered to himself in a low voice: "Spring is warm and flowers are blooming, has the season of beasts arrived again? I wonder if those old women won't covet my beauty and try to entice me with money?"

  "Hum! Am I that kind of person? I wouldn't agree to it even if I were short fifty taels of silver!" "Achoo, not even fifty taels of silver..."